源自寓言的英文典故

1.A Dog in the Manger占着茅坑不拉屎的人

出自《伊索寓言》(Aesops Fables),说的是一条狗躺在堆满稻草的马槽里。狗是不吃草的动物,而当马或牛一走近稻草时,这条狗却朝着马或牛狂吠,不准食草动物享用。

因此,“狗占马槽”就成了一个家喻户晓的成语而进入英语中,常用来比喻a person who prevents others from enjoying sth. that is useless to himself; a churlish fellow who will neither use a thing himself nor let others use it,讽刺那些占据某职位或某物品却不做事的人。

a dog in the manger是个名词性短语,常与系动词连用,充当表语(主语补足语)。

例:He borrowed a lot of books from the library, but he didnt read a book. He was really a dog in the manger.

There are some officials who are only the dogs in the manger.

Smith was a dog in the manger over that roll of wire; it was no use whatever to him, but he wouldnt let us have it.

2.Bell the Cat自告奋勇去冒险;老虎头上拍苍蝇

bell the cat系成语to hang the bell about the cats neck的简略,原意是“给猫的脖子上挂铃”。它来自《伊索寓言》中的《老鼠会议》(“The Mice in Council”)。

这篇寓言讲的是:一群老鼠在鼠洞里举行会议,讨论如何对付凶狠的猫。白胡须老鼠提出:“我有个方法,在猫的脖子上挂一个铃。这样,猫一走动铃就响,我们就可以闻铃声而逃避了。”群鼠一致同意这个建议,欢呼:“Thats a capital idea.We will bell the cat!No more fear of the cat!”但是,谁去给猫挂铃铛呢?没有一只老鼠敢去,一个个都溜掉了。老鼠会议毫无结果,它们不安全的处境当然也无法改善。

寓言所寄托的意思很明白:遇到困难问题的时候,既需要有出谋划策的智者,更需要有挺身而出的实干家。

bell the cat常用来比喻to do sth. dangerous in order to save others; to step forward bravely to face the danger; to take a risk for the good of others.

例:Everybody made suggestion,but no one actually offered to bell the cat.

We didnt know who would put him this delicate question when my friend offered to bell the cat.

3.Cry Wolf虚发警报;谎报险情;危言耸听

cry wolf来自《伊索寓言》中的《牧童和狼》 (“The Shepherdboy and the wolf”)。

有个牧童在离村子不远的山坡上放羊。有一次,他为了开心作乐,突然大喊:“Help!Help!The wolf!”全村的人都闻声跑来援助他,可跑到山坡上一看才知道他在开玩笑。如此恶作剧重复了两三次。后来,狼真的来了,那个牧童再呼号求救时,谁也不理会他了。于是,狼把他的羊吃了。

这篇寓言的意义很清楚:爱说谎话的人,即使在他说真话时,也没人相信他。由此,人们用to cry wolf 来概括这篇寓言的基本情节及其教诫意义,比喻to give false alarms; to warn of danger where there is none。按此比喻意义,这个成语相当于汉语中出自《东周列国志》的典故:烽火戏诸侯。周幽王为博得宠妃褒姒一笑,竟然把军国大事当儿戏,烽火报警,使各路诸侯仓促发兵,驰援京师,却受到嘲笑。后来犬戎进犯,幽王再举烽火调兵,谁也不来了,结果周幽王遭杀身亡国之祸。这两个典故的情节虽不同,寓意却完全一致,都是表示“一朝说假话,一世无人信”。

例:Nobody will believe he is in trouble because he has cried wolf so many times.

Is she really sick or is she just crying wolf?

4.Fish in Troubled Waters浑水摸鱼;趁火打劫;陷于混乱

fish in troubled waters直译是:“浑水里捕鱼”,出自《伊索寓言·渔夫》。

这篇寓言讲的是:有个渔夫在河里张网捕鱼。他把鱼网横拦在河道里,然后拿了一条缚着石块的绳子,不停地拍击河水,使泥沙泛起,河水浑浊,鱼儿在慌乱中纷纷自投罗网。渔夫用这个方法捕得了好多鱼,但住在附近的人指责渔夫说:“我们饮水全靠这条河,你把水搞得这么浑,叫我们到哪里去找清水饮用呢?”渔夫回答说:“可是,我若不把水搞浑,那就非饿死不可了。”

因此,人们常用fish in troubled waters 比喻to try to win advantages for oneself from a disturbed state of affairs; to make use of sb.s misfortune to serve ones own ends,并因此产生了谚语Its good fishing in troubled waters(浑水好摸鱼)。

在英语中,to fish in troubled waters 也可写成to fish in the muddy waters,而且water必须用做复数waters。

例:The man who interferes in South American politics is fishing in troubled waters.

I refused to let them come here because I knew they only wanted to fish in troubled waters。

Those who made large profits out of illegally selling rationed goods during World War II were fishing in troubled waters.

5.Cats Paw 被他人利用的人;受人愚弄者

cats paw 也写做cats-paw或catspaw,字面意思为“猫爪子”,出自17世纪法国著名的寓言作家拉封丹的《猴子与猫》,讲的是狡猾的猴子哄骗头脑简单的猫儿,替它从炉火中取出烤熟的栗子来。猫儿应命去做,结果猫爪子被火烧伤了,而取出的栗子却由猴子享用了。追根溯源,远在公元前3世纪的《伊索寓言》中就有这个故事,不过没有题目。

cats paw常用来比喻a person used as a tool by another; one who is used merely for the convenience of a cleverer or stronger person之意。按其内涵,这个成语与汉语成语“为虎作伥”所比喻的意义相似,仅仅动物的形象不同。

cats paw除了单独作为复合名词使用外,还构成to make a cats paw of sb.(利用某人作为工具或爪牙)。

例:It is easy for him to be used as a cats paw of evil-doing.

I am afraid that he is making a cats paw of you.

6.Pull the Chestnuts Out of the Fire火中取栗;替别人冒险

Pull the chestnuts out of the fire同样来自拉封丹的《猴子与猫》。cats paw与pull the chestnuts out of the fire是同源成语,但两个成语无论在结构上或意义上都不相同,前者比喻充当别人的工具或爪牙,后者常用来表示to do sth. dangerous for others的意思。

这个成语也写做to pull sb.s chestnuts,或者to put the chestnuts for sb.。

例:I had pulled the chestnuts out of the fire for him on several occasions and was unwilling to do it again.

They are pulling chestnuts out of the fire for the imperialists without knowing it.

You cant make me your catspaw to pull your chestnuts out of the fire...

(唐 珂 摘)